Fountain pen



May 6, 1958 Y. K. TOM 2,833,252

FOUNTAIN PEN Filed March 14, 1955 United States Patent FOUNTAIN PEN You K. Tom, Riverside, Calif.

Application March 14, 1955, Serial No. 493,852

4 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-47) The present invention relates in general to fountain pens, and more particularly, to a type of fountain pen which is commonly known as a stylograph, a primary object of the invention being to provide an improved stylograph.

More particularly, an important object of the invention is to provide a stylograph which includes a barrel having an ink reservoir therein, and vwhich includes a stylus carried yby the barrel at one end thereof and having a plurality, i. e., at least three, of spaced segments which define an ink channel therebetween and which are flexible to provide for varying the spacing therebetween so as to vary the size of the ink channel.

Another object is toy provide a stylus of circular cross section which is tapered externally toward a writing tip and which is provided therein with a longitudinal cut of cruciform cross section extending from the Writing tip to a point spaced therefrom and communicating with the ink reservoir in the barrel. With this construction, the cruciform cut provides a cruciform ink channel and provides four substantially quarter-circular segments which may be flexed toward and away from each other to vary the size of the cmciform ink channel.

As will be apparent, with the foregoing construction, by llexing the segments of the stylus toward and away from each other to vary the size of the ink channel, the stylus may be adjusted to scribe either a fine line, or a coarse line, as desired, which is an important feature. Also, in the event that the ink in the channel clots as a result of prolonged nonuse of the fountain pen of the invention, the segments of the stylus may be flexed toward and away from each other to break up any clots and thus initiate ow, which is another important feature. It should be pointed out here that the llexibility of the segments of the stylus is in itself sutiicient in many instances to break up any ink clots that may form by merely utilizing the fountain pen in the normal manner without specially undertaking to ex the segments.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for controlling the spacing ofthe segments of the stylus to vary the size of the ink channel which includes a sleeve telescoped over the stylus and having an internally tapered portion which is engageable with the externally tapered portion of the stylus, whereupon relative longitudinal movement of the stylus and the sleeve move the tapered portions thereof toward and away from each other. This results in ilexure of the segments of the stylus to vary the size of the ink channel and to break up any clots therein which cannot be broken up by normal llexure of the segments of the stylus in use.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a stylographic fountain pen having in the barrel thereof pumping means for lilling the ink reservoir through the ink channel mentioned, the pumping means being operable from the end of the barrel opposite the stylus.

An important lobject is to provide a fountain pen having means associated with the pumping means for producing the aforementioned relative longitudinal move- 2,333,252 Patented May 6, 1958 Frice ment of the stylus and the sleeve to produce the specified flexllre of the segments of the stylus.

Another object is to provide a pumping means which carries means engageable with the stylus, or the sleeve, to produce relative longitudinal movement thereof for the purpose of flexing the segments of the stylus.

Another object is to provide means carried by the pumping means which is engageable with the stylus to move same longitudinally relative to the sleeve to produce the desired flexure of the segments of the stylus. In this connection, another object is to thread the stylus into the barrel so that, upon rotation thereof by means for producing relative longitudinal movement of the stylus and the sleeve, the stylus will be moved longitudinally relative to the sleeve by virtue of the threaded connection between it and the barrel.

Another object, broadly, is to provide a stylographic fountain pen having a barrel provided with an ink reservoir, having a stylus provided with a variable ink channel communicating with the ink reservoir, having pumping means for lling the ink reservoir through the ink channel, and having means associated with the pumping means for varying the size of the ink channel to vary the width of a line scribed by the stylus.

The foregoing objects, advantages and features of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages and features thereof which will become apparent, may be attained with the exemplary embodiments of the invention which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing and which are described in detail hereinafter. Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged, longitudinal sectional view of a stylographic fountain pen which embodies the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a further enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along the arrowed line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged end view of the fountain pen taken as indicated by the arrow 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged transverse sectional view taken along the arrowed line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view duplicating a portion of Fig. 2 but illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the stylographic fountain pen of the invention includes a barrel or housing 10 comprising a cylinder 12 and a tapered nose 14 threaded onto the cylinder at 16. The cylinder 12 'provides an ink reservoir 18 which, in the particular embodiment under consideration, is lprovided with a metallic liner 2t) seated at its upper end against an `annular shoulder 22 formed at the junction of the reservoir 18 and a bore 24 through the upper end of the cylinder 12. The liner 20 is provided at its lower end with an internal annular bead 26 which tits into an external annular groove 2.8 in an insert 30 having a cylindrical portion 32 extending into the lower end of the liner 20 and having an externally tapered portion 34 seated in an internally tapered portion 36 of the tapered nose 14. Thus, when the tapered nose 14 is threaded on the cylinder 12 at 16, the liner 20 and the insert 30 are held in assembled relation as shown.

The insert 30 is provided with a bore 44) into which is threaded a stylus or stylus member 42, the stylus projecting at its upper end into the reservoir 18 for a purpose to be described, and projecting at its lower end from the nose 14. The outer end of the stylus 42 is of reduced diameterand includes an externally tapered portion 46 which converges to a writing tip or point 48. The stylus 42 is encircled by a sleeve 50 which is telescoped thereover and which is threaded at its upper end into a counterbore 52 in the insert 30, the sleeve projecting through an opening 44 in the nose 14 and having Vpacking or sealing device.

a portion of reduced diameter, corresponding and conforming to the reduced diameter portion of the stylus 42, which terminates slightly inwardly of the writing tip 48 of the stylus. The sleeve is provided at its outer end with an internally tapered portici-1,154 which is jcomplementary to and engageable with theexternauy tapered portion 46 of the stylus 42, upon relative longitudinal movement of the sleeve and the stylus, 'for a purpose to be described. y y

The stylus 42 'is provided in its exterior with external longitudinal grooves S6, shown as two in number, which communicate at their upper ends with the reservoir 18 and which 'communicate at their lower ends with the upper end of a longitudinal cut 58 ofk erucif'orm cross section. The outV 58 extends upwardly from the writing tip 48 of the stylus to the Vlower ends 'of the grooves 56 and is shown 'as being of substantially `constant width at any cross section. Thus, the grooves 56 and 'the cruciform cut 58 provide an ink channel which extends from the reservoir 18 to the writing tip 48 of the stylus 42. The cruciform cut 58 provides the lower end of the stylus 42 with a plurality of flexible, resilient segments or lingers 66 which are of quarter-circular cross section and which may be iiexed inwardly and outwardly toward and away from each other to vary the size ofthe ink channel. Such variation in the size of the ink channel varies the rate of ink flow 'to the writing tip 4S. Such flexing of the segments 6i) inwardly and outwardly 'toward and away from each other also varies the spacing of the extremities 4o'f the `segments ab the writing tip 48 which, in co-operation with the ink owvariation resulting from llexure of the segments, permits scribing a line 'of any desired width, from extremely fine to extremely coarse. Y

In order `to vary the spacing between the segments 6i) to vary the line width, the stylus 42 and the sleeve S0 are moved longitudinally relative to each other to move the externally tapered portion 46 of the stylus 42 and the internally tapered portion 54 of the sleeve 50 toward and away from each other. As will be apparent, as the tapered portions 46 and `S4 are moved together, the segments 60 of the stylus 42 are flexed inwardly to pro. duce a fine line, and as these tapered portions are moved apart, the segments 60 ex outwardly to increase the spacing therebetween and thus produce a coarse line. Such relative longitudinal movement of the `stylus 42 and the `sleeve 50 is produced by rotatingV the stylus, which produces axial movement thereof because of the fact that it is threaded in the `bore 40. The manner in which the stylus 42`is rotated to vary the spacing of the segments `60 thereof will be considered hereinafter.

The 'fountain'pen of the invention includes a pumping means 64 for iilling the reservoir `18 with ink through the ink channel provided by the cruciforrn cut 58 and the grooves 56 in the stylus 42. The pumping means 64 includes a piston rod or plunger rod4 66.` which projects from the reservoir 18 through the bore 24, being sealed relative to the barrel Vl() by an O-ring 68, or other suitable A cap forming the upper end of the fountain pen is connected to the outer end of the piston rod 66. Axially` slidable on the piston rod 66 is a piston or plunger '72 `having an opening '74 therethrough which is larger than the rod 66. Movement of the piston 72 relative to the rod 66 in one direction is limited 'by engagement of the piston with a valve element 76 carried 'by the rod and adapted to close thc'opening 74 through the piston when the piston is seated thereon. As will become apparent, the piston 72 and the valve element i6 thus co-operate to provide al check valve. Movement of the piston 72 on the rod in the opposite direction is limited by engagement of a spider 78 on the piston with stops 80 on the rod. The rod 66 is tubular and,

'tor venting purposes during pumping, is provided with openings 82 and 84 therein. `Communication between opposite sides ofthe piston 72 through the 'rod 66 is prevented by a plug 86 in the rod.

Considering the operation of the pumping means 64, in order to draw ink into the reservoir 18 through the ink channel provided by the grooves 56 and the cruciform cut 58 in the stylus 42, it is merely necessary to pull outwardly on the cap 7) to -move the piston 72 toward the upper end of the reservoir. When this occurs, the piston 72 seats on the valve element 76 to prevent ilow through the opening 74, thereby creating a vacuum in the reservoir 18 below the piston so that external atmospheric past the O-ring 68. Upon 'completion of the `upward stroke of the piston 72 to till the ink reservoir 18, the piston is returned to the position shown. As this is done, the piston 72 disengages the valve element 76 'to permit the ink to ilow from below the piston to above the piston.

The pumping means 64 has means 90 associated therewith for rotating the stylus 42 Ito move it axially for the purpose of varying the spacing between the segments 60 of the stylus in the manner hereinbefore discussed. More particularly, the lower end of the piston rod 66 is engageable with the upper end of the stylus 42 to communicate rotation of the piston rod to the stylus, the lower end of the piston rod and the upper end of the stylus being of square cross section, or other noncircular cross section, to transmit rotation of the rod to the stylus. Thus, the width of the line scribed 'by the writing tip 48 of the stylus 42 may lbe adjusted very simply merely 'by rotating the cap 70, which is an important feature of the invention.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing is shown an alternative embodiment wherein the liner 20 of the ink reservoir 18 is omitted. in this embodiment, the cylinder 12 and the insert 30 are provided with annular shoulders 96 and 98, t

respectively, which engage each other to hold the insert in place when the cylinder and the nose 14 are threadedly interconnected. p

It will be understoodthat the 'fountain pen of the invention may include any suitable cap, 'not'shown,"which tits over the stylus end of the barrel 10 to 'cover and protect lthe stylus 42. If desired, the cap maybe of the snap-on type, the barrel 10 being provided with 'an annular groove therein to receive such a cap.

Although l have disclosed exemplary embodiments of my invention herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modilications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention as dened by the claims allowed to me and appearing hercinafter.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a fountain pen, the combination of: a barrel having an ink reservoir therein; a stylus member carried by said barrel at one end Ithereof and having an externally tapered portion terminating in a writing tip and having a plurality of spaced segments defining therebetween an ink channel which communicates with said ink reservoir; a sleeve member carried by said barrel at said one end` thereof and telescoped over said stylus channel in the manner set forth; and pumping means inl said barrel and operable from the other end thereof for filling said ink reservoir through said ink channel, said pumping means being rotatable about the axis of said barrel and being connected to said one member to rotate same for the purpose of moving rsaid one member longitudinally of said barrel to vary the size of said ink channel.

2. A fountain pen as definedl in claim 1 wherein said pumping means includes a piston equipped with a check valve and carried by a piston rod which projects from said other end of said barrel and which is rotatable about the axis 0f said barrel, said piston rod being connected to said one member.

3. A fountain pen according to claim 2 wherein said one member is said stylus member.

4. In a fountain pen, the combination of: a barrel having an ink reservoir therein; means providing a writing tip and providing an ink channel of variable size cornmunicating between said ink reservoir and said writing tip, said means being carried by said barrel at one end thereof; pumping means operable from the other end of said barrel and reciprocable axially therein for filling said ink reservoir with ink through said ink channel, said' pumping means including .an element rotatable about the axis of said barrel from said other end thereof; and means operatively `connected to said rotatable element of said pumping means and responsive to rotation thereof about the axis of said barrel for varying the size of said ink channel to Vary the rate of ink flow therethrough.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,449,130 Senz Mar. 20, 1933 2,336,028 Nichol Dec. 7, 1943 2,669,970 Gordon Feb. 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 565,579 France Nov. 8, 1923 673,480 Great Britain June 4, 1952 

